To understand the significance of website accessibility in marketing, we reached out to industry experts, including founders, CEOs, and marketing managers. They shared eight compelling reasons, ranging from reaching more customers to affecting user experience and marketing success. Dive into their insights to learn why accessibility should be a priority in your marketing strategy.
- Reach More Customers
- Maximize Market Potential
- Embrace Inclusivity, Strengthen Image
- Improve SEO, Attract Diverse Audiences
- Enhance Your Brand Reputation
- Tap Into a Significant Market, Boost Loyalty
- Comply With Regulations, Avoid Reputation Damage
- Affects User Experience and Marketing Success
Reach More Customers
Universal design strives to make products, services, etc., accessible to everyone regardless of ability. Website accessibility is crucial to making sure you reach the highest number of potential customers.
If your website isn’t accessible to everyone, people will move on to one that they can more easily interact with. Having a universally accessible website is worth doing just to be a decent person who cares about others, but it also makes financial sense. That’s a win.
Temmo Kinoshita, Co-founder, Lindenwood Marketing
Maximize Market Potential
Website accessibility is important, especially in marketing, for several reasons. One significant reason is that it allows businesses to reach a wider audience and maximize their market potential.
By ensuring that their websites are accessible to people with disabilities, companies can tap into the purchasing power of millions of individuals who may otherwise be excluded from engaging with their brand.
This inclusivity not only aligns with ethical considerations but also presents a significant business opportunity for expanding customer reach and fostering brand loyalty, as customers appreciate and value companies that prioritize inclusivity and cater to their diverse needs.
Kevin Hall, Marketing Operations, Webserv
Embrace Inclusivity, Strengthen Image
From my personal experience, website accessibility is vital because it expands your reach and embraces inclusivity.
I once had a client, Jane, who was visually impaired. She chose my services over others because my website was accessible to her screen reader. She could navigate through my workout plans, blogs, and even book sessions independently.
By making my website accessible, not only was I able to market my services to Jane, but also to the wider community of people with similar needs. It showed my commitment to inclusivity, which strengthened my brand’s image.
So, website accessibility is not just about ticking off a box in marketing strategy, it’s about being inclusive and expanding your customer base. Trust me, it makes a difference!
Evander Nelson, NASM-Certified Personal Trainer, evandernelson
Improve SEO, Attract Diverse Audiences
Search engines like Google and Bing favor websites that are easy to navigate and use, with clear headings, alt text for images, and descriptive links. By making your website accessible, not only are you giving equal access to all users, but you’re also improving your chances of ranking higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).
You can add text alternatives to images, video, and audio, such as alt text, closed captions, and transcripts to make your website content accessible to users who are visually or hearing impaired.
Plus, having an accessible website can also attract more diverse audiences who may have otherwise been excluded from accessing your content. This can lead to a larger customer base and increased revenue for your business.
Johannes Larsson, Founder and CEO, JohannesLarsson.com
Enhance Your Brand Reputation
One reason website accessibility is essential in marketing is that it enhances brand reputation and fosters positive brand perception. When businesses prioritize accessibility, they show their commitment to inclusivity and equal access.
This resonates with consumers and creates a positive image of the brand, leading to increased trust, loyalty, and positive word-of-mouth recommendations.
In addition, inclusive marketing practices that consider the needs of all individuals can set a business apart from competitors and position it as a socially responsible and customer-centric brand.
Ajay Prasad, President and CEO, GMR Web Team
Tap Into a Significant Market, Boost Loyalty
Accessibility is not just a legal or ethical obligation, but an opportunity to tap into a significant market. People with disabilities represent a substantial consumer base, and catering to their needs can increase customer engagement and loyalty.
In addition, by making websites accessible, businesses can expand their reach and connect with a broader audience, positively affecting their brand reputation and potential growth.
Rahul Anand, Digital Marketing Manager, GMR Web Team
Comply With Regulations, Avoid Reputation Damage
Website accessibility is essential to ensure that the Internet is accessible to everyone. Making the website accessible is not optional anymore, but a legal requirement for most businesses worldwide.
Unfortunately, this issue has not yet received the attention it deserves and is treated as an afterthought. Web designers and developers should prioritize accessibility when creating websites and applications.
One crucial reason to prioritize accessibility is to comply with regulations and avoid potential fines and damage to a company’s reputation.
Anna Stella, Marketing Expert, Founder, BBSA
Affects User Experience and Marketing Success
The main agenda of marketing is to reach a larger audience and turn them into prospects. If a website has poor accessibility, it will affect the user experience. People will spend less time on the website, let alone focus on the content. So no matter how interesting the website content may be, it will fail in serving its purpose.
Also, strong UX improves website accessibility and SEO, since search engines consider factors like user engagement, bounce rate, time spent on the site, etc., to determine page ranking.
For example, if a global business creates its website in a regional language, it will be an obstruction to website accessibility. Only a few people will understand it.
Likewise, if the website can translate the content into languages that have bigger demographics (such as English), the user experience will be better, resulting in increased accessibility.
Govind Chandak, Business Head and Product Growth, GrowthAcad
